The present invention relates generally to keyboards for computers, electric typewriters and similar manual data input devices utilizing the standard QWERTY key format, and more particularly, to an electronic computer keyboard with enhanced ergonomic properties for preventing and/or alleviating injury to the forearms, wrists and hands of an operator normally associated with repetitive use.
Conventional keyboards for computers, typewriters, or similar machines typically have a set of keys arranged substantially in a single plane that may be flat or slightly tilted toward the operator. The standard key arrangement used by a majority of keyboard manufacturers throughout the world has at least three parallel rows of ten or more keys. The keys of one row are staggered relative to the keys of an adjacent row. The keys typically include the twenty-six letter keys arranged in the standard QWERTY format and four punctuation keys. In addition to the alphabetic keys, conventional keyboards specifically designed for use with computers also have numeric keys and function keys which are typically located above, below, or on one or both sides of the alphabetic keys. The function keys typically include, for example, the tab, shift, and return keys as well as the alt, control, and option keys. During typing, the operator""s forearms are positioned at inwardly directed angles from the operator""s sides toward the keyboard, with the palms down and the hands generally flat. The wrists are bent and the hands are angled outwardly relative to the forearms in order to align the operator""s fingers in directions running from the front to the back of the keyboard. The operator repeatedly pivots his or her hands at the wrist joints side-to-side over the keyboard in order to select and actuate the individual keys.
Adverse physical conditions may arise in the operator""s wrists, hands and fingers resulting from the kind of repetitive motions associated with typing on a conventional electronic computer keyboard, particularly for long periods on any given day or successive days. Such adverse conditions are compounded by the conventional design of conventional electronic keyboards which encourages the side-to-side flexing of the operator""s wrists, hands and fingers into particularly awkward and unnatural angles for prolonged periods of time. Typing injuries may fall into one of a few overlapping categories: repetitive stress disorder, repetitive motion injury, cumulative trauma disorder, and carpal tunnel syndrome. These conditions often require medical attention and, in severe cases, the worker may be unable to perform normal work functions. The cost in human suffering, and on-going medical expenses may be severe.
Various wrist/arm supports, keyboard geometries and positionable desktop surfaces for preventing injury to keyboard operators have been patented in the United States. Some of these patented devices have met with limited commercial success. However, none of them has been completely successful in preventing injury to the forearms, wrists and hands of an electronic keyboard operator.
Before the advent of modern electronic computer keyboards, it was relatively rare for full time operators of manual (non-electric) typewriters to experience injury to their forearms, wrists or hands, even if they typed forty hours per week. With the advent of modern electronic computer keyboards, particularly those associated with personal computers, a common design objective has been to provide minimal keystroke length and minimal keystroke resistance. The apparent objective has been to make typing and data entry easier and faster. The primary constraint on minimizing both keystroke length and keyboard keystroke resistance has been the fact that both need to be significant enough to prevent spurious key switch closures.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a method that uses an electronic computer keyboard with enhanced ergonomic properties to prevent and/or alleviate injury to the forearms, wrists and/or hands of an operator.
According to my invention an electronic computer keyboard is constructed to provide the minimum keystroke resistance sufficient to prevent accidental switch closures otherwise resulting from the weight of the operator""s fingers resting on the keys. This forces the operator to move his or her hands over the keyboard with locked wrists. It also eliminates the need for the operator to hold his or her hands up to prevent inadvertent key depressions thereby reducing stress and fatigue on the operator""s shoulders, forearms, wrists and hands.